BOOK II

HERZELEIDE

Now there in the Spanish country he thought him the king to greet, His kinsman and cousin Kailet, and he followed with footsteps fleet To Toledo, but thence had he ridden unto deeds of knighthood fair, Where many a spear should be splintered, and men thought not their shields to spare. Then he thought him to make him ready (so the venture doth tell I ween) 5 With many a blazoned spear-shaft, and many a sendal green; For each spear it bare a pennon, with the anchor in ermine white, And well was it wrought, the symbol, and costly in all men's sight. And long and broad were the pennons, and e'en to the hand hung low When men on the spear-blade bound them, a span-breadth the point below. 10 And a hundred spears were ready for that true and gallant knight, And his cousin's folk they bare them, and with him went forth to fight; And honour and loyal service they showed him as fit and fair, Nor I think had their lord been wrathful that his kinsman their love should share.

I know not how long he sought him, till shelter at length he found 15 In the Waleis land: 'fore Kanvoleis were pitched on the open ground Many tents so fair and knightly; (I speak not from fancy light But sooth are the words I tell ye if the tale ye would hear aright) Then he bade his folk to halt there, and he sent on before his face The chief of his squires, and he bade him to seek them a resting-place. 20 He would fain do his master's bidding, and swift to the town he sped, And many a pack-horse laden his comrades behind him led. And never a house he saw there but its roof was a shield I trow, And the walls were hung and circled with spears in a goodly row, For the queen of the Waleis country had ordered at Kanvoleis 25 That a Tourney fair be holden, and they ordered it in such wise That a coward had little liked it--for whoever would seek such strife At his will doth it chance but seldom! She was maiden, not yet a wife, And herself and two lands she offered to him who the prize should hold; And many to earth had fallen in whose ear had this tale been told, 30 And he who such fall must suffer he held that his chance was o'er. And many a dauntless hero showed knighthood those walls before, And many a horse rushed onward as the knight spurred to onslaught fierce, And the sword-blades rang clear on each other, and spears did the shield rims pierce.

A bridge from the plain was builded that crossed o'er the river's flow, 35 And 'twas closed by a tower-portal; nor the squire at his task was slow, But he opened the gates, unwearied, when one would an entrance win. And above it there stood the palace, and the queen sat the hall within, And she gazed from the high hall window with many a maiden fair, And they looked on the squires beneath them to see what had brought them there. 40 'Twixt themselves had they taken counsel, and a tent did they rear on high For the winning of love ungranted a king wrought it in days gone by, ('Twas in service of Queen Belakané). The squires laboured with might and main Till the burden of thirty pack-steeds they raised on the grassy plain, A pavilion rich to look on, and the meadow it was so wide 45 That the silken ropes that held it might stretch forth on either side. And Gamuret, their master, ate without in the open air-- And then for his courtly entrance with skill would the knight prepare, Nor longer might be delaying--His squires take the spears straightway, And they bind them fast together, and five in each band they lay, 50 And the sixth in their hand they carry, with its pennon and anchor white; So proudly into the city came riding this gallant knight.

Then the queen she heard the tidings that a noble guest was come From a far-off land and distant, and in sooth was he known to none. 'And courteous his folk in bearing; both heathen and French I trow, 55 And Angevin, some among them if their speech I aright may know; And their courage is high, and their raiment both rich and well shaped shall be. But now was I with his people, and they seem me from falsehood free, And they say, 'Who hath lust for riches, if he to our lord shall seek He will free him from fear of scarceness!' The while I with them did speak, 60 I asked them to tell of their master, and they thought not to hide the thing, But spake of a true heart freely, 'Of Zassamank is he king.'

'Twas a page who brought the tidings--'Ah me! that pavilion fair! Wouldst thou pledge thy crown and thy kingdom not half of its cost were there!' 'Thou needst not to praise so highly, my mouth ne'er shall say thee nay, 65 A rich man shall be its owner, no lack doth he know alway.' And in this wise she spake, the lady, the fair and gracious queen, 'Why cometh he not to the castle? For fain I his face had seen.'

This she bade her page to ask him--Then the hero was fain to make Brave entry into the city, and the sleepers must needs awake. 70 Many shields he saw fair shining--The blast of the trumpets clear Rang loud and long before him, and two drummers ye needs must hear As they tossed and smote their tambours, and the walls echoed back the sound, With the notes of the flutes 'twas mingled as the train through the city wound, 'Twas a march that they played so gaily--Nor forget we how he must ride 75 Their master and lord, he followed with the fiddlers his rein beside.

Then he threw his leg o'er his charger, that hero so bold and fair, And boots did he wear of leather, or else had his limbs been bare. And his mouth it was e'en as a ruby, and red, as a fire doth burn, And full, not too thin; fair his body wherever the eye might turn; 80 And fair was his hair and curling, and wherever one saw the skin I ween 'twas as costly cover as ever a head might win. And of samite green was his mantle, and the sable shone dark thereon Tho' white was his vest, and the gazers they came in a goodly throng. And many must ask the question, 'Who was he, the beardless knight 85 Who rode with such pomp of riches?' Then the tale it was spread aright, For they spake it as truth who knew it--So they drew to the bridge anear The folk of the town, and his people; and so bright was the radiance clear That shone from the queen that it thrilled him thro' his strong limbs, that goodly knight, And he braced himself as a falcon that plumeth its wings for flight, 90 And the lodging he deemed it goodly; so thought he that hero wise; And his hostess with joy beheld him, the lady of fair Waleis!

Then the king of Spain he heard it, how there stood on the open plain The tent that at Rassalig's bidding Gamuret as his prize did gain At Patelamunt, and the tidings a knight to his lord would bring-- 95 Then he sped as a deer, joy's vassal I ween was the gallant king! And thus spake the knight, 'Thy kinsman, and the son of thine aunt I saw, And with pomp and in state as aforetime, so to-day doth he hither draw; There are floating a hundred pennons full fair by his knightly shield, And around his high pavilion they stand on the grassy field, 100 And green as the grass the pennons, and the hero bold doth bear Three anchors of snow-white ermine on every sendal fair.'

'Hath he come here arrayed for battle? Ah! then shall men see straightway How he spurreth him swift to the onslaught, how he striveth in knightly fray! Long time hath the proud King Hardeiss his anger against me shown, 105 Here in joust shall Gamuret fell him, and good fortune shall be mine own!'

Then straightway he sent a message to Gaschier, the Norman knight, Where he lay with many a vassal; and Killirjacac the fair and bright, For here had they come at his bidding--The twain at King Kailet's side Towards the fair pavilion with a goodly following hied. 110 And Zassamank's king was joyful, for he held them dear at heart: And the time over-long had seemed them since they must from each other part, This they spake of a true heart truly--And the king he was fain to know What knights should be here for the Tourney, who valour and skill should show. Then spake unto him his kinsmen, 'From distant lands they came, 115 The knights whom love's power hath brought here, many heroes of dauntless fame.'

'Here Uther Pendragon fighteth, and with him his Breton host; One grief as a thorn doth vex him, his wife hath the hero lost, The queen who was Arthur's mother; a clerk who all magic knew With him hath she fled, and Arthur doth after the twain pursue; 120 'Tis now the third year since he lost them, his son alike and wife-- And here is his daughter's husband, a hero well skilled in strife, King Lot is his name, of Norway--swift seeketh he knighthood's prize, But slow are his feet to falsehood, the knight so bold and wise. And here is his young son Gawain; as yet he too weak shall be 125 For any deed of knighthood--but now was the boy with me, And he spake, were he not too feeble a spear-shaft as yet to break He were fain to do deeds of knighthood, in the Tourney his part would take! His lust for strife waketh early! Here Patrigalt's king hath brought Of spears a goodly forest; yet their valour shall be as naught 130 When weighed against the gallant doings of the men of Portugal, Yea, _bold_ we in truth may call them, and shields do they pierce right well. And here are the men of Provence, with many a blazoned shield; And here the Waleis, to their onslaught the foemen perforce must yield, And they ride at their will thro' the combat, for men of the land are they. 135 Many fight here for love's rewarding whose title I may not say, But all whom I here have named thee now lie, and the truth I tell, At great cost here within the city, for so the queen deemed it well.'

'And without on the plain they hold them who deem their prize lightly won, Proud Arragon's haughty monarch, and the brave king of Askalon. 140 Eidegast, he is there from Logrois, and the King Brandelidelein (The monarch is he of Punturtois), there too is bold Lähelein. And Morhold is there of Ireland, many pledges that knight hath ta'en; And many a haughty German doth camp on that battle plain. To this country the Duke of Brabant hath come thro' the King Hardeiss; 145 The king of Gascony gave him his sister the fair Aleiss, (Yet his service ere that won payment) wrath against me those princes drew: Now I trust _thee_ to think of our kinship--For love's sake do me service true!' Quoth the king of Zassamank, 'Cousin, no thanks would I have from thee Whate'er I may do for thine honour, my will e'en as thine shall be. 150 Doth thine ostrich yet stand un-nested? Thou shalt carry its serpent's head 'Gainst thy foeman's demi-gryphon, _my_ anchor shall swift be sped, And find in his onslaught landing; himself shall a haven seek Behind his steed on the gravel! If our wrath we be fain to wreak, And ride one against the other, I fell him, or he felleth me-- 155 On my knightly faith as a kinsman this word do I swear to thee!'

Then Kailet he sought his lodging, and his heart it was gay and light. Then arose on the plain a war-cry, 'fore the face of two gallant knights, They were Schyolarz of Poitou, and Gurnemanz of Graharz, On the plain did they meet together; ere the eventide might pass 160 The knights in their troops they rode forth, here by six and there by three, And they did gallant deeds of knighthood--nor otherwise might it be.

And now it was fully noontide, and the knight in his tent abode; Then the king of Zassamank heard this, that o'er all the field they rode, 'O'er the length and the breadth they gallop, and in knightly order fight.' 165 And thither he rode, the hero, with many a banner bright; But he rode not in search of conflict, at his leisure he thought to see What was done by one side and the other of fair deeds of chivalry. On the plain did they spread his carpet, where the knights in strife would close, And the shriek of the wounded horses o'er all the tumult rose. 170 The squires stood round in a circle mid the clash of the ringing steel, And the heroes for fair fame battled, and the swords sang for woe or weal. There was sound as of splintered spear-shafts, but none need to question, Where? And his walls were of meeting foemen, by knightly hands builded fair.

And so near was I ween the jousting that the maids from the hall above 175 Might look on the toil of the heroes--But sorrow the queen did move Since the king of Zassamank did naught, nor mingled him in the fight, And she quoth, 'Ah! why came he hither? I had deemed him a gallant knight!' (Now the King of France, whose fair wife brought Gamuret sorrow sore When he fought for her sake, lay lifeless, and the queen sought the wide world o'er 180 To know if from heathen countries he had come to his land again. 'Twas love's power to the search that drove her, for love did her heart constrain.)

And many brave deeds were done there of many a poor man bold, Who yet for the highest strove not, which the queen for their prize had told, Herself and her two fair kingdoms,--they thought not such prize to gain, 185 But they battled for other booty, tho' their hearts were for payment fain.

Now clad was Gamuret's body in the harness whereby his wife Might bring to her mind forgiveness, and the ending of bitter strife. The Scotch King Friedebrand sent it, as a gift, to repay the woe That with conflict he heaped upon her, nor shall earth of its fellow know. 190 Then he looked well upon the diamond--'twas a helmet, thereon they bound An anchor, and jewels so precious were within its setting found; Nor small were the stones, but costly, and the weight it was none too light Of that helmet, and yet he bare it, and decked was the guest for fight

And what was his shield's adorning? of gold of Araby fair, 195 And the boss it was rich and costly, and heavy the weight he bare. And the red gold shone so brightly that mirrored the face therein, And an anchor beneath of sable--I were fain to myself to win That wherewith the knight was girded, full many a mark its worth. And wide was the coat emblazoned, and it reached e'en unto the earth, 200 And I ween that few in battle such raiment shall think to wear. And if I have skill to praise it, or its value aright declare, It shone e'en as when there burneth thro' the night-time a living flame, And never a tint was faded, and its shimmer as lightning came, A feeble eye had feared it! And with gold was it all inwrought, 205 That in Kaukasus' distant mountains from out of the rock was brought By gryphon claws, for they guarded, and shall guard it unto this day. And from Araby came the people who stole it by craft away,-- Elsewhere shall be none so precious,--and they bare it to Araby Where they weave Achmardi and Pfellel, and no vesture like _that_ shall be! 210 His shield, round his neck he hung it--There stood a charger proud, Well-nigh to the hoof was it armed--and the squires cried the war-cry loud, And he sprang on his steed as he found it; and many a spear of might Did he break with strong hand in the Tourney, and where men did the closest fight There he brake a way thro' the mêlée, and came forth on the further side, 215 And ever behind the Ostrich the Anchor did close abide.

Gamuret smote from off his charger Poytewin of Prienlaskors And many another hero, their pledge must they yield perforce. But what knight bare the cross he rejoiced him in the hero's valiant deeds, And much did he win by his valour, since he gave him the captured steeds. 220

Now four banners, with self-same bearing, were led 'gainst that gallant knight, (And bold riders they rode beneath them, and their lord was a man of might,) And on each was the tail of a gryphon; and that hinder